Cradle mechanism with cone type coil supports



CRADLE MECHANISM WITH CONE TYPE COIL SUPPORTS Filed Feb. 13, 1957 A. F. GROLL Oct. 15, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IF -HN m6 P i v r f ATTORNEY CRADLE MECHANISM WITH CONE TYPE COIL SUPPORTS Filed Feb. 15, 1957 A. F. GROLL Oct. 15, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 //I III! I 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 A. F. GROLL CRADLE MECHANISM WITH CONE TYPE COIL SUPPORTS Oct. 15, 1963 Filed Feb. 15, 195'! INVENTOR. A l///V F 6/? OLL A T 7' ENE) CRADLE MECHANISM WITH CONE TYPE COIL SUPPORTS Filed Feb. 13, 1957 A. F. GROLL Oct. 15, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTQR. ALVIN F. GROLL ATTORNE S United States Patent 3,107,066 CLE MECHANISM WITH CONE TYPE CGIL SUPPORTS Alvin F. Groll, Box 347, Napoleon, Ohio Filed Feb. 13, 1957, Ser. No. 640,012 4 Claims. (Cl. 242-786) Strip metal, usually steel, from which shapes are to be cut by power presses is supplied in coils the outside diameters of which may range from 3 /2 feet to 6 feet or more. The widths of the strip stock range from a few inches to several feet and the weights of the coils may range from less than a ton to fifty thousand pounds or more.

Automatically controlled power presses, and even those that are controlled manually or by foot pedals, cut the shapes from the strips in rapid sequence. Because of the high cost of huge power press installations and the high cost of operating them, it is important that the time taken for replacing coils that have become exhausted be kept at a minimum.

Coils of strip metal to be unwound as shapes are cut from the metal usually are supported in so-called cradles with the coil in each case either resting upon a pair of rollers or upon a short conveyor-[type chain or belt that passes around a pair of rollers; or the center opening of the coil may be engaged by a pair of revoluble cones which are movable axially to center the coil and to clamp the coil between them.

It is an object of this invention to provide a cradle, having cone type coil supports, which is designed to bandle very large and very heavy coils.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a cradle designed to handle very large and very heavy coils md having means to position such coils with their axes prepositioned nearly in alignment with the timing axis of cone type coil supports, whereby the coils may be clamped between the cone type supports and thus finally centered with minimum shifting and minimum liability of damage to the strip metal.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cradle having cone type coil supports with means for effecting preliminary adjustment of the axial spacing between the cone elements to provide for placement and subsequent clamping therebetween of coils of strip stock having varying widths.

A further object is to provide a cradle such as that outlined above having cone type coil supports so designed as to increase the extent of possible axial adjustment to accommodate coils having central openings of widely varying sizes.

And still a further object is to provide a cradle of the general type outlined above having means to rotate a coil of any size within the capacity of the machine to thereby feed the strip into straightening or other processing mechanism.

Other objects and many advantages of the invention will be apparent upon perusal of the following description as illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a front elevational view of a machine embodying my invention, a part being broken away to uncover one of the features of the invention;

FIG. H is a left side elevation of the machine illustrated in FIG. I;

FIG. III is a view partly in section taken as indicated by the line Ill-III of FIG. 1;

FIG. IV is a front elevation similar to FIG. I showing a machine so modified as to increase the extent of axial movement which may be imparted to the cone type coil 3,107,056 Patented Get. 15, 1963 ing a modified form of a machine embodying my invention; and

FIG. V1 is an elevational view on an enlarged scale with parts broken away and parts in section showing a lift cart such as is incorporated in the form of machine illustrated in FIG. V.

The machine in the form illustrated in FIGS. I and II has a base 1 comprising two massive side table sections 2 and 3 at its left and right sides, respectively, which are connected by a massive center table section 4 the top of which is lower than the tops of the side table sections 2 and 3 and the fore and aft dimension of which is less than the fore and aft dimensions of the side table sections so that the front of the center table section is recessed rearwardly somewhat with respect to the fronts of the side table sections.

Extending from side to side along the upper front edges of the side table sections 2 and 3 are ways 5, while similar ways 6 extend from side to side along the upper rear edges of the side table sections. The ways 5 and 6 slidably receive splines 7 and 8 formed along the front and rear edges of each of two shiftable beds 9 and 10, the splines being slidably retained on the ways by gibs 11 that overhang the ways 5 and gibs 12 that overhang the ways 6.

lournaled in the shiftable bed 9 is a worm 13, one end 14 of which protrudes from the left side of the bed where it is equipped with a handle 15, the Worm 13 being threaded through a boss 16 which projects upwardly from the top of the side table section 2. Thus when the worm 13 is turned by means of the handle 15 the shiftable bed 9 and all of the mechanism mounted thereon are adjusted laterally.

The bed 10 at the right side of the machine, its mounting, its adjusting worm 1'7 threaded through a stationary boss 13, and a handle 19 by which the worm is turned are mirror counterparts of the bed 9 and the corresponding elements of the mechanism for moving the bed 9. Thus the shiftable beds 9 and 10 can be adjusted laterally toward or away from each other, or in the same direction, to the same extent or to difierent extents.

'l he shiftable bed 9 is equipped with a front way 20 extending along its upper forward edge and a rear Way 21 extending along its upper rearward edge. Mounted for lateral sliding movement upon the ways 20 and 21 is a carriage 22 which is retained upon the ways by means of gibs 23 and 24.

Carried by the carriage 22 and rotatable with respect to said carriage is an inwardly projecting cone type clutch member 25 which is axially aligned with a like clutch member 26 similarly mounted on a carriage 27 which has mirror similarity to the carriage 22 and is similarly mounted on the shiftable bed 10.

When the cone type clutch members 25 and 26 are moved toward each other into the central opening of a coil of strip metal, such as that indicated in broken lines and designated by the word coil, they center the coil and then hold it firmly between them.

For the purpose of moving the cone type clutch members 25 and 26 toward and away from each other power operated worms 2% and 29 are journaled respectively in the beds 9 and 1b, the Worms 28 and 29 being threaded through bosses 39 and 31 depending respectively from the carriages 22 and 27. Each of the worms 28 and 29 is turned through gearing 3233 by a motor 3435 which hangs from its shiftable bed into a recess 3637, said recesses being large enough to permit adequate lateral movement of the motors therein.

The weight and bulk of a large coil of strip metal is so great as to make it difiicult to handle and particularly diflicult to position and center between cone type clutch members. When a coil is rolled upon the center table section 4 of a cradle such as that herein described, the geometrical center of the coil must never be higher than the turning axis of the cone type clutch members, but it is greatly preferable to keep at a minimum the distance through which the coil must be lifted by forcing the inclined faces of the clutch members into their central openings. Variations in the outside diameters of the coils and variations in the diameters of their central openings cause variations in the distances through which the coils must be lifted during the centering and clutching operat on.

In order to obviate such difiiculties, I have incorporated in the cradle mechanism a lift having a ram 33 which when activated hydraulically lifts each coil nearly to the position that it will assume when finally centered. After the cone type clutch members 25 and 26 have centered and clutched the coil, the ram 38 descends to the position in which it is shown in FIG. I.

To insure that the ram 38 when ascending will properly locate the coil fore and aft, the top of the ram may be [formed with a transverse trough as indicated at 39 in FIG. HI. Though some coils are smaller than others, coils of all sizes settle directly over the trough with their axes properly oriented in the same vertical plane with the turning axis of the cone type clutch members. Thus when a coil is lifted its axis will rise vertically into approximate coincidence with the turning axis of the cone type clutch members.

Since the construction and operation of hydraulic lifts is well known and since values and appurtenances for introducing and releasing fluid are commercially available, this description and the accompanying drawings have not been complicated by descriptions and illustrations in detail of the lift structure or of valves and appurtenances.

For the purpose of positively turning the clutch member 25, and consequently the coil and the clutch member 26, to unwind the coil and feed the strip unwound there from through straightening mechanism or other processing mechanism, an unwind motor 40 is mounted upon the carriage 22 and connected by gearing 41 to the shaft of the cone type clutch member 25.

The device of this invention is designed for installation in position to feed strip metal from coils into a power press. When so installed the shiftable beds 9 and 10 can be shifted toward or away from each other by turning the handles 19 until the inner ends of the beds are spaced apart a distance which exceeds the width of the coil to be cradled by some two to four inches, the inner ends of the beds being adjusted to lie more closely to a coil of very narrow stock than would be necessary for them to lie to a coil of very wide stock. The carriages 22 and 27 are then traversed apart by operating the motors 34 and 35 until the inner ends of the cone typeclutch members 25 and 26 are spaced apart approximately the same distance as are the inner ends of the beds 9 and it A coil of the size for which the spacings between the inner edges of the beds 9 and It and the inner ends of the coil type clutch members 25 and 26 have been adjusted then is rolled from a ramp or otherwise loaded upon the center table section 4 after. which the ram 38 is moved slowly upwardly until the axis of the coil has been raised nearly to the height of the axis of :the cone type clutch members 25 and 26. Thereupon the motors 34 and 35 are activated to move the cone type clutch members 25 and 26 into centering and clutching engagement with the coil. As the coil is finally centered it is lifted slightly and perhaps shifted slightly fore or aft. With the coil thus supported by the cone type clutch members 25 and 26 the ram 38 is lowered into the position in which it is shown in FIGS. I and III. The motor 40 then may be activated to unwind the strip to be passed through the straightener and the power press for processing.

The range of widths of coils that can be accommodated in the cradle of this invention can be varied further by employing modified cone type clutch members 25a and 26a such as are shown in FIG. IV. Cone type clutch members such as are illustrated in FIG. I and numbered 25 and 26 can move toward each other until their parallel edges engage, and no further; The corresponding edges of the cone type clutch members 25a and 26:: are formed with notches 42a and 43a and with fingers 44:: between the notches 42a and like fingers 45a between the notches 43a.

When the width of the coil to be clutched between the cone type clutch members 25a and 26a is so narrow that the meeting edges of unnotched clutch members would engage before the coil was accurately centered and tightly gripped, the fingers 44a can slide into the notches 43a between the fingers 450. With the fingers thus inter digit-ated the clutch members 25a and 26a can continue to move toward each other for an additional distance equal to twice the depth of the notches.

The specially shaped cone type clutch members are clutched to the coil rather than clutched to each other through their interdigitated fingers. Since no clutching function of the interdigitated fingers is utilized the fingers may be and preferably are quite loosely received in the notches.

The operation of the machine illustrated in FIG. IV is identical with the operation of the machine illustrated in FIG. I except that the clutch members 25a and 26a may move axially through greater distances; and except that it may be advisable occasionally to see that the fingers are angularly so ofi'set that the fingers on one of the clutch members will by-pass the fingers on the other.

Except for the special form of the cone type clutch members 25a and 2611 the mechanism of the machine illustrated in FIG. IV may be identical with that illustrated in FIGS. I, II and III. Therefore the machine illustrated in FIG. IV will not be described in further detail.

In the form of device illustrated in FIGS. V and VI the center section 4b is U-shaped in plan, and a hydraulic ram 33b is carried by a lift cart 51b which travels on rails 52b and 53b, which may extend to a stock room or other loading area, and which enter a recess 54b in the U-shaped center section 4b. The ram 38b has a transverse trough 39b and is positioned beneath an aperture 55b in a valley that extends across the top of the lift cart 51b.

When the lift cart 51b is withdrawn, for example to the position in which it is shown in FIG. V, a heavy coil of strip metal can be placed upon the lift cart 51b, by means of a crane or otherwise, with more facility than upon the center table section 4 of the form of machine illustrated in FIG. I, or the form of machine illustrated in FIG. IV.

When the lift cart 51:: with a coil loaded thereon in the position indicated in FIG. V1 is moved into the recess 54b of the coil can be lifted by the ram 38b nearly into the position that it will assume when finally centered by means of the cones 25b and 26b, in the same manner as that described above for lifting a coil by the ram 38 of the form of machine illustrated in FIGS. I and HI.

After a coil has been transferred to the cones 25b and 26b the ram may be lowered, the lift cart withdrawn from the recess 54b and another coil placed thereon ready to be substituted promptly for the preceding coil when the preceding coil has become exhausted.

Power to operate conventional pumping mechanism, not shown, for supplying fluid to lift the hydraulic ram 38b is furnished by a motor 5615 that is carried by the lift truck 51b.

It is to be understood that the device described in the foregoing specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings is exemplary only and that it is subject to modification within the spirit and scope of the subjoinedclaims.

I claim:

1. In cradle mechanism for holding coils of strip metal, in combination, a base comprising a center section having a recess therein, a pair of side sections flanking said center sections, a laterally shiftable bed mounted upon each of said side sections, means for positioning each of said laterally shiftable beds, a carriage mounted for lateral traverse upon each of said beds, a clutch member revolubly mounted on each of said carriages, said clutch members facing each other and having a common axis of revolution, and means for traversing one of said carriages toward the other to cause said clutch members to grip said coil while strip metal is being unwound therefrom.

2. In cradle mechanism for holding coils of strip metal, in combination, a base comprising a center section with a pair of side sections flanking said center section, a pair of laterally extending ways upon each of said side sections, a shift-able bed mounted upon each of said pairs of laterally extending Ways, manually operable means for independently positively driving each of said beds along the ways upon which it is mounted to establish and maintain the position of said beds, whereby said cradle mechanism can be readily set up to take coils of wide strip material or readily set up to take coils of narrow strip material, a carriage mounted for lateral traverse upon each of said beds, a carriage traversing motor carried by each of said shiftable beds, means operated by each of said carriage traversing motors for independently traversing each of said carriages alternatively in opposite directions away from or toward each other or in the same direction, and a cone type clutch member laterally fixed and revolubly mounted on each of said carriages, said cone type clutch members facing each other and having 'a common axis of revolution.

3. In cradle mechanism for holding coils of strip metal, in combination, a base comprising a center section With a pair of side sections flanking said center section, a pair of laterally extending Ways upon each of said side sections, a shiftable bed mounted upon each of said pairs of laterally extending ways, means for independently positioning each of said beds along the Ways upon which it is mounted, whereby said cradle mechanism can be readily set up to take coils of Wide strip material or readily set up to take coils of narrow strip material, a carriage mounted for lateral traverse upon each of said beds, a carriage traversing motor carried by each of said shiftable beds, means operated by each of said carriage traversing motors for independently traversing each of said carriages alternatively in opposite directions away from or toward each other or in the same direction, and a clutch member laterally fixed and revolubly mounted on each of said carriages, said clutch members -facing each other and having a common axis of revolution parallel with the direction of lateral traverse.

4. In cradle mechanism for holding coils of strip metal, in combination, a base comprising a center section with a pair of side sections flanking said center section, a pair of laterally extending Ways upon each of said side sections, a shiftable bed mounted upon each of said pairs of laterally extending Ways, means for independently driving each of said beds along the Ways upon which it is mounted, a carriage mounted for lateral traverse upon each of said beds, means for independently traversing each of said carriages in either direction upon one of said beds, a clutch member laterally fixed on each of said carriages, and mountings for supporting each of said clutch members for rotation closely adjacent their respective carriages, said clutch members racing each other and having a common axis of revolution.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,285,628 Craley Nov. 26, 1918 2,127,210 Dunbar Aug. 16, 1938 2,177,577 Mikaelson Oct. 24, 1939 2,473,306 Schreiber June 14, 1949 2,599,720 Prevost lune 10, 1952 2,662,698 Littell Dec. 15, 1953 2,800,288 Bandy July 23, 1957 

1. IN CRADLE MECHANISM FOR HOLDING COILS OF STRIP METAL, IN COMBINATION, A BASE COMPRISING A CENTER SECTION HAVING A RECESS THEREIN, A PAIR OF SIDE SECTIONS FLANKING SAID CENTER SECTIONS, A LATERALLY SHIFTABLE BED MOUNTED UPON EACH OF SAID SIDE SECTIONS, MEANS FOR POSITIONING EACH OF SAID LATERALLY SHIFTABLE BEDS, A CARRIAGE MOUNTED FOR LATERAL TRAVERSE UPON EACH OF SAID BEDS, A CLUTCH MEMBER REVOLUBLY MOUNTED ON EACH OF SAID CARRIAGES, SAID CLUTCH MEMBERS FACING EACH OTHER AND HAVING A COMMON AXIS OF REVOLUTION, AND MEANS FOR TRAVERSING ONE OF SAID CARRIAGES TOWARD THE OTHER TO CAUSE SAID CLUTCH MEMBERS TO GRIP SAID COIL WHILE STRIP METAL IS BEING UNWOUND THEREFROM. 